Audio Video Installations Are Not One-Size-Fits-All

Wednesday, 26 February 2025

How We Customize Video & Audio to Your Home’s Design

No two homes are exactly the same, and neither are audio video systems! When we install AV systems, we consider factors often overlooked by homeowners: room dimensions, wall and floor materials, and environmental conditions that influence audio video performance.

After all, a room with curved walls or floor-to-ceiling windows will have vastly different needs than a dark, windowless room (perfect for a home theater).

Whether you’re setting up a home theater, a whole-home music system, or an outdoor entertainment area, proper calibration and design are key to achieving the best possible audiovisual performance.

Here’s how to fine-tune your audio video installation for any space in your Chester, PA, home.

Video: Finding the Right Display for Your Space

Rooms with Ambient Light

If your living room or media area receives a lot of natural light, it’s important to select a display that’s bright enough to compete with sunlight. High-brightness laser projectors and OLED TVs with enhanced contrast can help maintain a crisp, clear image even in well-lit conditions.

If picture quality is still suffering? Motorized blackout shades and ambient light rejection screens mitigate glare and enhance picture quality.

Darker Rooms and Home Theaters

For dedicated home theaters or darker media rooms, you have more flexibility. OLED and high-end 4K projectors shine in these environments, delivering deep blacks and vibrant colors. Without the concern of excessive ambient light, you can focus more on screen size and image fidelity to create an immersive experience.

Rooms with Curved or Glass Walls

Are you struggling to find a good location for your TV or projector screen? Rather than forcing it into a difficult space, consider a motorized lift!

Automated TV lifts offer all sorts of creative solutions—swiveling to the perfect viewing angle, gliding up from the floor, and even retracting under the bed! Projectors and screens can also disappear in the ceiling when not in use, so you can preserve your room’s tasteful interior design.

Audio: Speaker Placement & Room Acoustics

In-Ceiling & In-Wall Speakers for Background Listening

For whole-home audio or background music, in-ceiling and in-wall speakers offer a seamless, minimalist appearance while providing high-quality sound throughout your home. These are ideal for kitchens, hallways, and bedrooms where immersive stereo or surround sound isn’t a priority.

Calibrating Speakers for Stereo or Surround Sound

When designing a stereo or surround sound system, room acoustics play a significant role in sound quality.

Large rooms can create excessive reverb, leading to a boomy or echoey sound. But with the right setup, we can still deliver a powerful and immersive audio experience. Proper speaker placement, paired with strategic acoustic treatments, can help control reflections and maintain clarity.
Small rooms often have limited space for sound to travel, resulting in a tight, constrained soundstage. Standing waves can also be a concern, leading to uneven bass response. To address this, we apply soundproofing techniques and acoustic treatments like bass traps, panels, and diffusers to balance the sound.
Room shape matters. Rectangular rooms are ideal for predictable sound wave behavior. If your room has irregular shapes or features like pillars, these can create acoustic anomalies. The key here is to optimize speaker placement and use acoustic treatments to correct any deficiencies.

Working with a professional AV integrator ensures that every aspect is accounted for, leading to the best possible audio quality.

Outdoor AV: Bringing Entertainment Outside

Outdoor Video Solutions

Enjoying TV and movies outside requires displays that can withstand the elements. Weatherproof and glare-resistant outdoor TVs provide excellent brightness and durability. Well-shaded areas will do well with Full Shade or Partial Sun TVs, while areas in direct sunlight will need TVs designed specifically for Full Sunlight.

If you prefer a more discreet setup, consider outdoor TV lifts that retract the screen into the ground or furniture when not in use.

Outdoor Audio: Coverage & Power Considerations

A well-designed outdoor audio system provides even sound coverage without being overwhelming. The size of your outdoor living area will determine the best speaker setup:

For large spaces, powerful 3-way and 2-way speakers offer high output and full-range sound.
For a more subtle approach, a burial subwoofer paired with smaller satellite speakers can be strategically peppered throughout your lawn.
For patios and porches, brands like Sonance offer sleek, surface-mounted speakers that blend seamlessly into the exterior of your home.

Ready to Upgrade Your Home Entertainment?

Looking for expert AV installation in Chester, PA? Sound Xperience specializes in designing and calibrating audio video systems tailored specifically for your home, indoors and out.